Watermelon
Citrullus lanatus
About it
- Kind
- Vegetables · Annual
- Family
- Cucurbitaceae
- Frost
- Very tender — needs warm soil and nights
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 60 in apart
- Soil depth in a pot
- At least 18 in
- Water
- About every 7 days
ⓘ We don't know this plant's soil pH, feeding needs and mature size yet.
When to plant
- Sow outdoors
- Sow 2 weeks after the last frost
- Soil temperature
- Germinates from 60°F
- Ready
- About 90 days from sowing
Based on your last frost date. Outside the US, check local advice.
Planting partners
No cited companion planting notes for Watermelon yet.
Safety for pets and children
- Cats No information in our sources
- Dogs No information in our sources
- Horses No information in our sources
- Children No information in our sources
"No information" means our sources do not say, not that the plant is harmless. A non-toxic listing is not a reason to let anyone eat a plant.
Pests and diseases
No pest or disease notes for Watermelon yet.
Check the label and your local extension service before using any product.
Where this comes from
- category NC State Extension ↗ Listed in Table 16-4, "Garden Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs"
- climate requirement NC State Extension ↗ Ch. 16 lists melons among the warm-season annuals, which it calls frost-sensitive; the Toolbox says plant "after all chance of frost has passed". No zones: an annual has no winter to survive (see the header)
- climate requirement NC State Extension ↗ Ch. 16 lists melons among the warm-season annuals, which it calls frost-sensitive; the Toolbox says plant "after all chance of frost has passed". No zones: an annual has no winter to survive (see the header)
- days to maturity NC State Extension ↗ Table 16-4: Melons, watermelon T=62-72, S=90-100; the from-seed low end
- direct sow weeks rel last frost cmg.extension.colostate.edu ↗ CSU #720 (Colorado) very tender class, a class-wide figure: typically 2+ weeks after the last frost; CSU advises direct seeding vine crops
- family npgsweb.ars-grin.gov ↗ GRIN page: Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai
- frost hardiness cmg.extension.colostate.edu ↗ CSU #720 (Colorado) very tender class lists watermelon
- indoor start weeks cmg.extension.colostate.edu ↗ NC State (North Carolina) Table 16-3 watermelon 3-4 weeks, CSU #720 (Colorado) transplant age 2-3: 3 is in both
- indoor start weeks NC State Extension ↗ NC State (North Carolina) Table 16-3 watermelon 3-4 weeks, CSU #720 (Colorado) transplant age 2-3: 3 is in both
- life cycle NC State Extension ↗
- life cycle NC State Extension ↗
- maturity counted from NC State Extension ↗ The 0069 row took NC State (North Carolina) Table 16-4's S=90-100 (from seed), not T=62-72
- min soil depth in NC State Extension ↗ Not in Table 18-1, and ch. 18 says full-sized watermelon "cannot be grown in containers"; 18 in as migration 0039 set for winter squash, for a bed or a very large tub. Derived. A group figure, as every ch. 18 depth is
- min soil temp f cmg.extension.colostate.edu ↗ CSU #720 (Colorado) Table 2: watermelons germination minimum 60°F
- space requirement NC State Extension ↗ Table 16-4 distance between plants: 60 in. The table publishes no row distance, so rows equal plants -- the square spacing of an intensive bed
- species NC State Extension ↗
- sunlight NC State Extension ↗ Toolbox Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- water frequency days UMN Extension ↗ UMN "Growing melons in the home garden": "Water deeply and infrequently, one to two inches per week." The page also says to reduce watering as the fruits ripen, which a fixed interval cannot express.